Ethiopian Airlines resumed Boeing 787 Dreamliner today revenue service with a flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, making it the first carrier to relaunch Dreamliner flights since the aircraft was grounded in January.
LOT Polish Airlines is to take a Boeing 777 on wet lease from Portuguese operator EuroAtlantic while it awaits the return to service of its 787s, which it expects to happen in June.
Boeing chairman, president and CEO Jim McNerney said the manufacturer anticipates launching the 787-10 program “sooner rather than later” and could also launch the 777X by the end of this year.
Boeing has started 787 battery system modifications on 10 in-service fleet aircraft and believes modifications will be completed on nearly all 50 in-service fleet aircraft by mid-May.
Boeing Canada Winnipeg plans to increase its Murray Park Road manufacturing site by more than 22%, primarily to house new composites work for the 737 MAX.
International Airline Group (IAG), parent company of British Airways and Iberia, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Airbus for 18 A350-1000s, plus 18 options.
Kigali’s RwandAir has signed a firm purchase agreement for one Bombardier Q400 NextGen turboprop airliner, in an order valued at approximately $33 million based on list prices.
Boeing is deploying 10 teams comprised of 300 specialists around the world to perform FAA-approved modifications on the 50 787s that were in service when the Dreamliner fleet was grounded Jan. 16.
China Southern Airlines subsidiary Xiamen Airlines plans to introduce its first Boeing 787 in July 2014, as scheduled, to facilitate international expansion plans.
Boeing is adding and repositioning a number of flight training devices, which includes new capabilities for training on Next-Gen 737, 777 and 787 aircraft.
